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I tried a SRL today, did I do something wrong?

Howdy gang! Well I took a little break today and messed with the hammock for about an hour. I was able to figure out things that will come in handy later. Like where is a good height to set the ring buckles at in order to get the hammock to lay right, etc. It's kind of like anything I guess, wash rinse repeat when it comes to setting up that will yeild the most consistant results.

Anyway, I thought I would try a SRL since there are so many folks that like them and it looks like they could give you more room to lay on the diagional, and thus more flat. I used a ratchet strap in order to be able to adjust the length easily. I started with the magic 83% of the whipping length. I didn't really care for the way that the hammock laid with the SRL at any length.

This has gotten me to thinking, when the SRL was in place it was almost like the hammock wasn't wide enough to accomodate laying diagional in it. (my hammock is a GTUL) no matter how I laid on the diagonal it seemed that my sholder was always hanging off the hammock, or very close and there wasn't really the "pocket" for my feet that I had expected.

After watching some of the videos out there about gathered end hammocks it seems that most of them look huge. For crying out loud I think the Green Bay Packers Defensive line could have a Christmas party in Shug's hammock. I decided to measure the dimensions of the GTUL hammock. It is 102" whipping to whipping and 52.5" wide. The DIY gear supply site shows in the paln for their double layer hammock 126" X 60". That's significantly larger than the GTUL. I would think that being longer would allow you to be further from the ends and thus allow a more diagional lay, and the extra 7+" in width wouldn't hurt either.

I'm not a little guy, but I'm not the biggest either (6'1" x ~200#), do you think I might need a bigger hammock, or did I just not do something right with the SRL?

Thanks once again!
lost

"The question that oft' makes me hazy... am I or the others crazy?" Albert Einstein

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." Thomas Edison

I am 5'8" and 185#
I have become a huge fan of the UL's and now sleep in one all the time. I set a RL on one at 96" and it is just perfect for me... If I was taller, I could see where it would not be as comfy.The traveler is very nice and it does feel huge compared to the UL and at $60 it's a great deal... I also have a lite owl and highly recommend it or the night owl for all you taller guys out there, (it's really big)

I'm 5'-8" and started with a GTUL. It was just big enough to give me a "taste" of the diagonal lay. A longer, wider hammock will let you truly benefit from a diagonal lay.

A SRL is not a substitute for correct hang angles and does not change the inherent characteristics of a given hammock. Once you have found the best hang angles (sag) for a hammock, you can set a SRL to that length and it will help to maintain that amount of sag on subsequent, less than ideal, hangs.

Yeah, a larger hammock may be required for a taller guy such as yourself. A GTUL is my basement-hang hammock, and while I find it quite comfortable and flat when laying diagonally I can tell that at 5'11" I am on the ragged edge of being too tall for it.

I'm 6' and 170# and couldn't get a good lay in the GTUL as it was too short for me. I love the longer hammocks,,gives you more options on different lay positions, more comfy for me and I sleep like a baby..just never could make it work for me.

The general consensus on hammock length is that the minimum comfort zone for length is about your height plus four feet (so, for 6'1", that'd be 10'1" or 121" after hemming and whipping).

The other general consensus is that longer is better for a more comfortable lie. I've not tried the DIY route yet, so I can't comment on that...but as soon as I have personal data, I'll be willing to share.